Participation in its sidewalk snow removal program has nearly tripled this winter — with more than 110 people taking part — and the village of Oak Park has approved additional funds to ensure the program will continue. Created in 2007, the program allows for elderly or disabled residents to call...

We are becoming a nation of juveniles who believe in our own fantasies. Look around and you will see everywhere in our culture examples of people who desperately want the world to be the way they say it is. They want us to believe it too. We’re like petulant children who demand the adults believe...

After 12 months of negotiations, the Oak Park and River Forest High School board and its teachers union agreed to a new four-year contract, with both sides ratifying the contract Feb. 19. The contract is retroactive to July 1, 2018, when the previous contract expired, and runs through June 30,...

A Chicago man riding an eastbound CTA Blue Line train through Oak Park told police he was attacked and robbed by two teenagers early Tuesday. According to Oak Park police, the man was sleeping on the train when a teenager attempted to steal his bag at about 1 a.m. while the train was in the 800...

“Honey, we need to talk…” That phrase is usually the start of a relationship conversation both partners know is going to be brutal. I’m talking about one of those awkward, dreadful, uncomfortable chats that boil down to statements like, “I need space” or “I met someone else,” or perhaps the one...

A love of “Grey’s Anatomy” and a fascination with heart surgery led Fenwick High School student Xonhane Medina, 17, to look for summer internship opportunities last year. She was accepted to the Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills and Education Center Stanford Summer Internship at the California university,...

Firefighters and paramedics in Oak Park responded to 7,268 total calls in 2018, an increase of about 6.5 percent when compared to the previous year, a new report from the village says. According to the village, calls for rescue and emergency medical services continued to make up a majority of aid...

He hadn’t even moved into the spacious house on North East Avenue when Percy Lavon Julian got an unmistakable message that someone didn’t want the internationally renowned scientist living in one of suburban Oak Park’s most exclusive neighborhoods. Julian was only the third African-American in...

Voters in Oak Park will be able to meet, greet and ask questions of candidates seeking public office in the April 2 election at a pair of upcoming forums. Oak Park Property Tax Watch, a Facebook group made up of more than 1,100 members, announced it will host the forums next month at Pilgrim Congregational...

Residents and business owners interested in learning about the resurfacing and road diet project slated for Madison Street can attend an upcoming public forum with village officials. The open house will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 21 at Percy Julian Middle School, 416 S. Ridgeland Ave. The project...

Both the temperatures and polar plungers took a dip on Sunday. That didn’t faze the more than 200 people who took to the icy waters of Lake Michigan in Evanston to support Special Olympics Illinois. From Oak Park to Park Ridge to Wilmette, polar plungers from in and around the area came together...

New Moms, a Chicago and Oak Park-based nonprofit that assists new mothers living in poverty, is one of 15 finalists for a national grant, with winners determined via an online vote. Now in its fourth year, the national Renewal Awards recognizes local organizations and individuals driving change...

The Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society announced the first capital building purchase in its 103-year history, a property that officials said will serve as its new home and clinic. The organization recently purchased the former U.S. Bank building at 28 W. Madison St., with goals to relocate...

The aftermath of the recent “Surviving R. Kelly” cable series has led several local organizations to encourage sex abuse victims to seek out the help available to them. Oak Park community activist Anthony Clark hosted a “Believe survivors” forum Feb. 13 at Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church,...

Board members recently approved two key changes to the ranks of Oak Park School District 97 administration, including the appointment of a new principal for Lincoln Elementary School. At its Feb. 12 meeting, the school board unanimously approved the appointment of Laura Zaniolo as the new principal...

The following items were taken from Oak Park Police Department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Oak Park Burglary Two unknown people entered a storage unit on the second floor of a construction site in the 1000 block of Lake Street and stole copper wire valued...

Customers in Oak Park may soon find it harder to find single-use plastic products, such as drinking straws, though the village says it will not seek an outright ban on the products at this time. Last year, the village board asked its environment and energy commission to review the burden of plastic...

She got good grades in school while she lived at Anne’s House, a residential program for sexually exploited girls. She loved the staff. She made friends she still refers to as sisters. But after the Salvation Army closed Anne’s House in Oak Park last January, the girl, then 18, was transferred...

Amid 3,300 entries, Oak Park resident Natalie Serratos, 16, took first place in the media arts category of the 2018 Walgreens Expressions Challenge for her short film, “Voices,” which portrays the inner struggle faced by those with eating disorders. The Walgreens contest is a peer-to-peer initiative...

Black History Month is a time to remember all the great men and women who fought for equal rights and the meaningful actions and protests of the civil rights movement. It’s also a chance to reflect on the great historical events that contributed so much to advance the cause of equality for black...

Before discussing the current draft of a proposed equity policy for Oak Park District 97, attendees at the Feb. 12 board meeting heard stories from several students. Many spoke about their own interactions with their peers, experiences in the classrooms and why they feel such a policy is needed....

“The death of a dream” might be the hardest part about going through a divorce, according to Beth Bear Shields. “When my boys were 1 and 3, I was walking on the beach, and I saw a couple walking with a toddler on the husband’s shoulders and I thought to myself, ‘This is something I will never have.’...

Due to delays in acquiring the required easements for improvements, Oak Park officials announced a Lake Street streetscape project has been postponed until 2020. The plan is scheduled to include new sidewalks, curbs, lighting, landscaping and other decorative elements along Lake Street between...

The Oak Park Village Board is reviewing several staff recommendations for an inclusionary zoning ordinance, which is aimed at bringing more affordable residential units to the village. Village staff provided six recommendations for trustees to consider on Feb. 11, including an ordinance applying...

The green room underneath the Oak Park and River Forest High School auditorium stage has been sounding like an after-school 1920s jazz club as students put the final touches on their production of “Chicago.” “Chicago” revolves around the character Roxie Hart, who kills a man who tried to walk out...

Triton College President Mary-Rita Moore is expected to lead the school for at least another four years after college officials recently voted to renew her contract. Moore’s new contract runs from July 2019 to June 2023. It was approved by all trustees present at the college board’s Jan. 22 meeting....

A group of Oak Park residents is urging the village to commit to a transition to 100 percent clean energy in the form of solar/wind and energy efficiency measures by 2035. Over the course of several months last year, Oak Park Area ClimateAction set up a table at the village’s farmers’ market to...

In 2018, St. Giles School celebrated its 90th anniversary. As school officials honored their past, they adopted a new leadership model last July to help them "ensure vitality and success in the future," said Meghan Hurley Gibbs, the school board marketing and communications chair. Hurley Gibbs...

Peg Zak has been an “interpreter,” — aka a volunteer — for the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust since 1976. Since that time, Zak has performed multiple tasks for the organization such as giving tours, serving on its board, chairing the Wright Plus housewalk event and doing research on its homes, and a...

A video released by Metra shows two high school students stopping and pulling back from an approaching train as they were crossing the tracks Jan. 23 at Grand and Hillgrove Avenues in Western Springs. The incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m., said Jeff Pohl, a Western Springs resident who was...

The St. Giles Men’s Society is hosting its 11th annual sports trivia night next month, and teams can now register for the competition. The trivia event will take place from 6 to 11 p.m. March 2 inside the Trinity High School gym, 7574 Division St., in River Forest. The event features prizes, food...

District 200 officials are hoping this spring to receive a new state grant that would provide property tax relief to Oak Park and River Forest residents. In December, the Oak Park and River Forest High School board voted unanimously to apply for the property tax relief grant, which is being made...

State officials recently notified the Park District of Oak Park that it will receive a $400,000 matching grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to fund upgrades to one of its parks. Park district officials say the grant will help pay for improvements at Stevenson Park, 49 Lake...

The following items were taken from Oak Park and River Forest police department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Oak Park Disorderly conduct A resident living in the 200 block of South Marion Street reported they saw someone looking through their main-floor...

The word racist gets bandied about these days with such speed and frequency that it is in danger of losing its meaning. It is a high order abstraction. In other words, it means as many different things as there are people who speak or hear the word. When someone says the word “chair,” it is pretty...

The village of Oak Park will be joining Cook County and several local municipalities to collaborate on a regional assessment of fair housing, which officials hope will provide benefits such as efficiency and cost savings. As part of joining the study, Oak Park trustees approved a $3,500 payment...

Every year on Feb. 14, millions of men and women look at their spouse in a loving, fun, or cute way and ask, “Will you be my valentine?” The question can have lots of different interpretations, which include “Will you take me out for dinner?” “Will you buy me flowers?” “Will you have sex with me?”...

Oak Park resident Timothy Sullivan has a busy performing career with credits at Open Door Theater, Theatre-Hikes, Lifeline Theatre, and Oxford Shakespeare Festival, among others. Next up is “Cancerman” by J. Linn Allen, which is part of Underscore Theatre Company’s Chicago Musical Theatre Festival,...

With an ice storm forecast to hit the Chicago area Tuesday evening, officials said several public buildings in Oak Park will close early. The ice storm warning issued by the National Weather Service for much of the Chicago area is in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. Significant icing...

Three boys from Chicago were charged in connection with an Oak Park carjacking that took place Monday night along North Boulevard. According to police, the three were allegedly involved in the carjacking that took place at about 6 p.m. in the 800 block of North Boulevard. The driver, a River Forest...

Food waste is the current focus of a local network of green-minded congregations, and an upcoming workshop addresses the small changes that make a difference. The Interfaith Green Network’s food waste workshop will feature representatives from Green Community Connections, Oak Park River Forest...

Audience members will be treated to a double bill of original music by acclaimed artists Carrie Newcomer and Over the Rhine, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, in the Performing Arts Center at Dominican University, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest. Newcomer is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and author....

The developer behind a hard-to-miss building in the Oak Park Arts District has picked up another property in the area. Brand & Company, which owns the lime green Harrison + Harvey building — home to Happy Apple Pie Shop and District Kitchen & Tap, among others — has purchased the commercial building...

The power of community was at work during last week’s record-setting, life-threatening temperatures. With all public buildings closed on Wednesday and the lingering snap of freezing temperatures on Thursday, 66 men and women, with no place to go, were safe thanks to the combined efforts of the...

Residents living near Rush Oak Park Hospital were granted the parking restrictions they sought following complaints of an increase in vehicles parking in front of their homes. A divided village board approved three-hour parking limits on the east and west sides of the 700 block of Wisconsin Avenue...

With his final day on the job quickly approaching, Oak Park Public Library Deputy Director Jim Madigan looked back on his years of service by reciting the phrase that is prominently displayed on the wall inside his office. From his desk, he can read: “The library is not about books. The library...

In an attempt to keep its police and fire departments at optimal staffing levels, the Oak Park Village Board has approved a staff plan to “overhire” in its public safety workforce. Village staff told trustee Jan. 28 the move is necessary as the time period to hire young police officers and firefighters...

A wide variety of musical styles will be on the menu during an “After Brunch Bash with The Teflons and Sunnyside Up” Feb. 17 at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn. This is the 12th annual After Brunch Bash featuring the two groups. The double-bill event was the concept of Barb Silverman, leader of The Teflons....

A man who robbed an Oak Park TCF Bank location at gunpoint Saturday morning is being sought by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Chicago office. According to the FBI, the man entered TCF Bank, 601 N. Harlem Ave., at about 11:08 a.m. and robbed the bank with use of a handgun. According to Oak...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is searching for a man who attempted to rob a PNC Bank branch on Jan. 29 in Oak Park. According to Oak Park police, the man walked into PNC Bank, 6621 W. North Ave., shortly after 10:30 a.m. and approached an employee inside a bank office. The man implied he...

A weekend water pipe break and flooding has led to the Oak Park Public Library to close its Maze branch for several days, officials said. The Maze branch, located at 845 Gunderson Ave., was first closed on Saturday due to what officials said was a “burst pipe and flooding.” According to library...

Voters in Oak Park and River Forest are invited to attend upcoming candidate forums with those seeking public office during the April 2 election. The River Forest Civic Association and League of Women Voters of Oak Park/River Forest announced they will host several forums featuring candidates running...

The following items were taken from Oak Park Police Department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Oak Park Theft Someone moved a 2009 Chevy from the first block of Ontario Street while it was secured with a village of Oak Park vehicle boot between 9 p.m. and...

The new owner of three money-losing Chicago-area hospitals plans to work on turning them around after buying the facilities for $70 million this week. Los Angeles-based Pipeline Health hopes to make Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park and West Suburban...

Property owners in Oak Park Township should soon be receiving their first installment property tax bills in the mail, with payment of those bills due by March 1. Oak Park Township Assessor Ali ElSaffar said the bills were mailed on Jan. 28, which gives property owners one month to make their payment....

The Oak Park Village Board approved a new set of fees associated with special event permits for 2019, which includes some increases for the use of village personnel. Late last year, trustees updated Oak Park’s municipal code to provide that annually, the village issues a fee schedule for the use...

The presidential race of 2020 may be the most fascinating of our lifetimes, and by 2020, I will have lived a fairly long time. Born when everyone liked Ike, I can only remember as far back as Kennedy. As a former editor used to say, those were great times to grow up in America — if you were a white...

A plan to seek nearly a half-million dollars in overdue ambulance fees from nonresidents was tabled by the Oak Park Village Board as some trustees expressed concerns over how the debt would be collected. According to village staff, the current outstanding balance for nonresidents since 2015 is...

Historic Pleasant Home is proving to be an inspirational setting for Winifred Haun & Dancers. Company members are creating five works-in-progress during a two-week residency at the Oak Park mansion. They will share these new creations, as well as an audience favorite, “Bento,” during “Dance on...

Those willing to get out and brave the extreme cold were able to do some grocery shopping or watch a movie Wednesday in Oak Park. And Gene and Jude’s in River Grove wasn’t about to stop serving its signature hot dogs, either. Chicago had set a record low for the date, with a temperature of 16 degrees...

Barbara Zahora has performed in shows at Oak Park Festival Theatre since 2006. In January, she became artistic director. The busy Naperville resident is also a visiting assistant professor at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College for the Performing Arts and is consulting artistic director at ShawChicago....

Two “persons of interest” are in custody following the attempted robbery of an Oak Park bank Tuesday morning, police said. According to Oak Park police, the attempted armed robbery took place at 10:53 a.m. at PNC Bank, 6621 W. North Ave. Police said a man wearing a black/gray skull cap, gray jacket...

In awarding Buzz Café the village’s first bring-your-own liquor license, Oak Park trustees voiced their concerns over the large costs associated with gaining such a license. Buzz Café owner Laura Maychruk said her business, 905 S. Lombard Ave., has been offering its patrons a BYO option for nearly...

I have to say, my jaw was on the ground almost the entire time I was watching “Dirty John,” the recent Bravo TV drama series about a beautiful, successful, wealthy woman who falls for a charming and seemingly perfect man, who in reality is a manipulative con artist. What’s even more shocking about...

After a recent change in the handling of Freedom of Information Act requests led to some community outcry, a meeting between the Oak Park village manager and village clerk has resulted in a solution both found agreeable. The village will now have three designated FOIA officers following a unanimous...

At Club Pilates in Oak Park, owner Kristin Kohn said members can build a stronger core in a supportive community. The business, which opened in November, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting on Jan. 25 at 708 Lake St. "I love the Club Pilates model of making Pilates more accessible to more people through...

Triton College officials recently filled a high-ranking administrative vacancy at the school, but not before the faculty union spoke out against the hiring process. The Triton College Faculty Association expressed disapproval that the college offered long-time Triton employee Susan Campos the position...

Police said a Cook County judge has ordered two men — including one who had been captured on video carrying a rifle while running through an Oak Park neighborhood — held without bail after the two were charged with numerous crimes that police said occurred in Chicago and then later abandoning a...

Families in Oak Park enjoyed perfect skating weather on Sunday afternoon, albeit indoors at the Ridgeland Common Ice Arena, for a special on-ice program. Dozens of guests laced up their blades as the Park District of Oak Park hosted a special “My Dolly and Me” skate at the arena, which allowed...

Amid reports of potential burglars posing as home repairmen, Oak Park police are warning residents to be aware of possible scams. Since September, police have received eight reports of a man or men knocking on doors and telling residents about much-needed repairs that were spotted while passing...

As teacher contract negotiations near the one-year mark, members of the Oak Park and River Forest High School Faculty Senate are urging the school board to come to a resolution on a new union contract. Approximately 200 OPRF teachers were in attendance during the Jan. 24 school board meeting, with...

The following items were taken from Oak Park and River Forest police department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Oak Park Aggravated assault An Elmwood Park resident was stopped in the 1200 block of North Harlem Avenue when a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt...

Police in Oak Park took four boys, one armed with a handgun, into custody Wednesday night at a CTA Blue Line station after the four matched the description of those involved in an earlier attempted carjacking. According to police, the four were taken into custody in the 700 block of South Austin...

Though the district approved a new four-year contract with the Oak Park Teachers’ Association last year, prospective Oak Park District 97 school board members will likely be serving when the next contract is agreed upon. The topic of rising taxes and personnel costs was presented by voters during...

With concerns of increasing taxes, voters at a recent candidates forum wanted to know how prospective Oak Park and River Forest High School board members would work with the district’s largest expense: its workforce. During the Jan. 21 forum at the Oak Park Public Library, OPRF board candidates...

A River Forest resident told police he was robbed at gunpoint by two men while walking through neighboring Oak Park on Monday night. The pedestrian told police he was walking in the 800 block of North Boulevard, near the intersection of Oak Park Avenue, at about 8:15 p.m. when two men approached....

Jeff Pohl’s 11-year-old son told him he was a hero Wednesday evening after Pohl had pulled two teenaged girls to safety as they were crossing the railroad tracks at Grand and Hillgrove avenues in Western Springs, unaware of an approaching inbound train. The incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m.,...

So there I was, sitting in my house, miserably looking out my patio door at the huge snow drifts piled up on my deck. It was pretty depressing, so I decided to shift my focus from outside to inside. Oops, big mistake. I just got even more depressed. Because it’s that time of year for the three...

Are there any adults left? If you look around the big room that is America, it sure seems like there aren’t any. I am looking for grown-up adults who take the long view of life. Adults who value the past, work to preserve the present and plan to secure a future that is better and more equitable...

When it comes to men, I’m old school. I like a gentleman. I like a man who walks around and opens the car door for his date, a man who gives up his seat for a woman on the train, a man who asks a woman out on a date and pays for dinner, and a man who takes off his jacket and puts it on the woman...

Learning will be fun for everyone when Bravo!, the theater program at Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School, presents “School House Rock Jr.,” with shows on Feb. 1 and 2. Thirty-eight sixth-graders will perform the musical based on the 1970s cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math and more through...

You can see Amy Morton each week as Trudy Platt in the NBC drama “Chicago P.D.” The Oak Park native, who is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, has appeared in more than 30 shows there, as well as directing a number of productions for that company. Q: What have you learned about...

Two men, including one caught on video carrying a rifle while running through an Oak Park neighborhood, were apprehended by police on Wednesday morning, according to Oak Park police. Officials said the men were seen abandoning a stolen car that fit the description of a vehicle involved in a shots-fired...

With a forecast calling for freezing rain and snow to hit the area, several Tuesday evening meetings and activities have been canceled in Oak Park. The weather forecast has prompted administrators to cancel several events at Oak Park and River Forest High School, with the school building closing...

Issues revolving around equity as well as the recruitment and hiring of more minority teachers were questions voters posed to Oak Park District 97 school board candidates during a forum this week. Hosted by the Suburban Unity Alliance, the Jan. 21 forum at the Oak Park Public Library included the...

Through music, prayer and fellowship, generations gathered together on Jan. 20 in Oak Park to honor St. Giles School’s 90th anniversary at a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich. From 1928, when the school was founded, to 2019, "St. Giles has been faithful to our primary goal — to know,...

Future Oak Park and River Forest High School facilities needs, specifically its swimming pool replacement, was a key topic among school board candidates during a recent question-and-answer forum. Hosted by the Suburban Unity Alliance on Jan. 21, the forum took place at the Oak Park Public Library,...

"Banua," Fenwick High School's annual Blackfriars Guild musical comedy revue, returns for 2019. The variety show takes place at the main stage in the 1,300-seat Fenwick High School auditorium at 505 Washington Blvd., Oak Park. Show dates are Friday, Jan. 25, and Saturday, Jan. 26. Both shows start...

An Oak Park resident reported he was carjacked and robbed at gunpoint by a group of masked men in the southeast corner of the village on Sunday evening. According to police, the resident said he was sitting inside his 2010 Subaru Forester in the 1100 block of South Taylor Avenue when three men...

Solar farms are cropping up on Illinois’ open land, spurred by state requirements and a new state program, but several built-up suburbs are carving out room for solar power as well. From Evanston to Oak Park to Will County, communities are embracing solar power as a means to help meet renewable...

As students and staff reflect on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one Oak Park and River Forest High School senior shared her dream with the campus. During the school’s annual Martin Luther King assembly Jan. 18, student Azreinna Winston was announced as the winner of OPRF’s annual...

The village of Oak Park is engaged in a lawsuit with several of its residents over a 37-unit affordable housing development that was approved by the village board in October 2018. Proposed by The Community Builders, the development is set to be constructed at 801 S. Oak Park Ave., though several...

Police said a man armed with a gun robbed an Oak Park resident and carjacked the resident’s 2014 Kia Forte on Thursday night near the Eisenhower Expressway. According to police, the gunman approached the resident at 10:26 p.m. Thursday, shortly after the resident had exited the car, which had been...

Bill Chin was a recent college graduate in 1979 when he realized that it was unlikely that anyone would hire someone right out of school to direct their choir. “So I decided to start one,” he said. Forty years later, The Oriana Singers group is still thriving. The six-person a cappella chamber...

A proposal for a five-level parking garage that would be built on the east side of the Fenwick High School campus is under review by Oak Park’s plan commission. Commission members received their first look at the proposal on Jan. 17, and will review the project again when the hearing re-opens Feb....

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., gunned down while standing on a motel balcony in Memphis, would have celebrated his 90th birthday Jan. 15. Born in 1929, the man who died a martyr’s death so long ago seems to exist these days as a figure in history. There are more Americans alive today who have...

A contract with a new architect of record is expected to be approved by the Oak Park and River Forest High School board this month. In October, the school board voted to begin contract negotiations with FGM Architects after choosing the firm to be its new architect of record. FGM will be replacing...

Oak Park and River Forest High School announced four of its seniors have been named 2019 Posse Foundation Scholars, and they will receive full-tuition scholarships to their choice of colleges and universities. Aaliyah Brown will attend Cornell University, Ev Berger-Wolf and Evan Kelly will attend...

A freight train struck and killed a man Thursday morning in Lombard, halting Metra trains on the Union Pacific West Line, according to police and agency officials. The man was hit just after 6 a.m. at Finley Road and Crescent Boulevard in the western suburb, between Metra's Glen Ellyn and Lombard...

After postponing more than $1 million worth of accessibility improvements from upcoming village budgets, the Oak Park Village Board is seeking additional opinions for how to properly improve accessibility at village hall. During the Jan. 14 village board meeting, trustees unanimously requested...

The Archdiocese of Chicago removed a priest from a North Side Catholic church after receiving a report of an allegation that he sexually abused a child decades prior in suburban Midlothian, according to a news release. The Rev. Patrick J. Lee, the head pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the...

Exotic destinations, sandy beaches, fantasy suites, hot tubs and flowing champagne are a few things that have been setting the stage for love and romance on ABC’s “The Bachelor” since 2002, when it first aired. Audiences are captivated by the idea of two beautiful people finding love with a fairy-tale...

Oak Park artist Hai S. Lam, 48, has come a long way: Lam was born on the island of Phu Quoc, South Vietnam, fled with his family to a refugee camp in Thailand and then came to the U.S. While spending time at the Boys Club of Cicero, he took up drawing and painting, and after high school attended...

In an effort to recoup lost parking citation revenues, which total several million dollars, the village of Oak Park is planning to offer an amnesty period to those with unpaid violations. According to village staff, Oak Park has more than 180,000 outstanding parking citations dating from 2004 through...

Citing health concerns and the prevalent use by children, the Oak Park Village Board is seeking to place strict regulations on the sale of electronic cigarettes and their accessories. Village board members had expressed concerns about e-cigarettes, vaping and, in particular, the e-cigarette produced...

Event: Midwest Region of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science annual gala Benefiting: The Weizmann Institute of Science’s vision to be a place of peace, collaboration and scientific excellence with investment in advancement of scientific innovation and entrepreneurship. ...

With Oak Park seeing several large residential developments coming online in recent years, village board candidates were asked their opinions on whether an inclusionary zoning ordinance should be enacted to ensure the village’s diversity. Those running for Oak Park trustee are Thomas Gary, James...

The Nineteenth Century Club in Oak Park is in line for a “facelift.” The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association is appealing to friends, supporters and the community to help support a two-year, $200,000 giving campaign, titled “Facelift for the Future 2019.” According to the organization, the...

Anthony Clark says he has lost some friends over his campaign against R. Kelly, and he can tick off their criticisms by heart: You don’t know what you’re talking about. Why don’t you mind your own business? The girls wanted it. You’re just doing this for publicity. He shrugs it all off. He says...

Dogs owned by residents who register them with the Park District of Oak Park can now roam free at the village’s two dog parks. The pets, if vaccinated, can use the parks at Ridgeland Common, at the corner of Lake Street and Scoville Avenue, and Maple Park, 1105 S. Maple Ave., off-leash and for...

A pair of Oak Park residents are seeking a local landmark designation for a former Madison Street auto dealership building, a structure that is proposed to be demolished as part of a larger redevelopment plan. Commonly referred to as the former Foley-Rice dealership, the building at 644 Madison...

The 11 candidates vying for three trustee seats on the Oak Park Village Board say that while on the campaign trail, they have heard concern over the village’s escalating tax burden. The topic was a key talking point during a candidate forum hosted by the Suburban Unity Alliance on Jan. 9 at the...

A focus on growing, attracting and retaining small business in the village of Oak Park was a hot topic during a recent forum featuring candidates for seats on the village board. Hosted by the Suburban Unity Alliance on Jan. 9 at the Oak Park Public Library, the forum featured all 11 candidates...

An alumna of Trinity High School, Dr. Victoria Brander, 57, of River Forest is a co-founder and co-director of Operation Walk Chicago, which works globally to provide free hip and knee replacement surgeries and train and educate medical teams around the world to provide such care. Most recently,...

Throughout her life, Elmwood Park resident Nicky Braglia said she has always been passionate about health and wellness. Professionally, she has worked in the dermatology and healthcare fields for the last decade as a licensed medical aesthetician. About a year ago, Braglia decided to pursue a career...

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information about the ballet competition that took place Jan. 10-12. When Naomi Babcock was born, doctors told her mother that half of her tiny heart was missing. She was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect that...

A few years ago, I wrote about my simple plan to solve government spending. I’ll recount it for you here. If Congress passes a balanced budget — one where total spending is equal to total revenue — then each member of should get a $1 million bonus. The total cost would be $535 million if each of...

Two men robbed an Oak Park resident and drove off in the resident’s car Tuesday morning in a carjacking reported in the 400 block of South Maple Avenue, according to police in the village. The resident told police the men approached at about 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 8. One of the men demanded the resident’s...

When Nathan Bay first started playing basketball at age 5, he found himself unable to dribble or shoot the ball, and therefore decided he “hated the game” and was going to quit. That lasted for three days. Despite the physical challenges Bay was facing — he had been born with a dislocated hip,...